On 4th May we reported on a case - Rakusen v Jepson - heard in the Court of Appeal concerning rent repayment orders (RROs) and noted that, following that court's decision, the case would now go up to the Supreme Court. The NRLA (national residential landlords association) has announced that it has now applied to "intervene" in the appeal to the Supreme Court.

The intervention is not because it sides with either party but because it wishes to ensure that the court is aware of the position of many above board landlords who are parties to "rent to rent" agreements and how they could be affected by the outcome of this appeal in terms of being liable to pay RROs.

The association says " In our intervention we do not seek to defend bad practice or provide a route for rogue 'rent to rent' operators to evade sanctions. We intend to make clear the potential implications for other superior landlords who may equally be victims of unscrupulous rent to rent firms."

They have also launched a survey to canvass the experiences of landlords involved in rent to rent arrangements the answers to which it says will be "invaluable" in informing counsel and compiling evidence to put before the Supreme Court.